By Father Apolinar Samboni
Many times it is not easy to understand God’s plans in our lives. We plan to get everything, but suddenly something happens against us. Then we feel that God is far from us. We think that God does not listen to our prayers. Consequently, we deny our faith. We isolate ourselves from our loved ones. We feel abandoned by everybody and by God. Many of our friends leave us or do not want to meet with us. Obviously, we are invaded for isolation, anxiety, and maybe depression.
God has his plans for us even through that situation that you are experiencing. It is the case of that young couple who planned to get married, but suddenly one of the two decides to cancel the wedding. In those circumstances they feel sad and do not understand what happened. Most times, the person is not able to understand God’s plan. The person still looking at the past but not the present. Anyone can ask his friends hoping to find answers. But, rarely or never, a person turns to God. When somebody turns to God, he finds out He had better possibilities for him.
In a similar way it happens when someone expected to get a job, but he was rejected. He does not understand what is happening. Maybe he feels frustrated. The is not possibilities to be close to his family. There are few possibilities to be in his town, city where he grew up. But the truth is that God is guiding him to get new opportunities in another town, city, state, or country. God awaits him with better opportunities.
Similar case occurs with a teenager who studied hard to get the scholarship to continue his studies at the collage. Maybe he sacrificed many things to be the best in school, but suddenly he failed at something and his yearned scholarship was given to another. It is natural that you feel confused and frustrated. Maybe you want to deny your principles, values and even your faith. Of course you in that moment do not see the many opportunities that God has for you in another place. But, you have to give the opportunity to time, to life, and to God to take you to the place and time indicated where you should be.
The situation seems to be more complicated when you suddenly get sick. You visit the best doctors, they order you the best laboratory tests, they give you prescriptions. However, you do not feel better even though you follow your doctor’s recommendations. It is natural that many thoughts wander through your mind. You take care of yourself as best you can, however your illness and pain remain the same or worse. Your health does not improve and the worst you feel isolated. Few friends continue by your side, maybe others will flee from you. Only your family or some friends take care of you. However, remember that God takes care of you every moment of your life, even if you do not notice it.
Obviously it is hard to understand the plans that God has for us. However, we are called to take those difficult situations as Christ took his cross out of love for us. Accept everything that happens in our life as Jesus accepted to be unjustly condemned, suffered, died on a cross for love to reach the resurrection. Remember what the Lord tells us through prophet Isaiah:
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)
